Ling Xue's Pains Taken

Jin Yulian drove over, and we began to chat while eating beef noodles.

I knew she must have come to see me for a reason; otherwise, after being apart for so many days, why wouldn't she have called me?

Jin Yulian spoke first, "Feng, how have you been these days?"
I casually replied, "Just muddling through, as usual."

She sighed and said, "Feng, I heard that you and Sister Li have broken up. Ah, I'm sorry, it's all my fault that you two broke up."

I replied, "Fate cannot be forced. Let's not dwell on the past. Sister Yulian, tell me what you really came to see me for."

Jin Yulian said, "Ah Feng, don't be impatient. It's not easy for us to finally be together like this, let's just chat slowly. By the way, I heard you're working at a small factory now, is that true?"

I nodded and said, "Yes! It's a small machinery factory, and I'm working as a manager."
Jin Yulian asked, "How is the job? Are you satisfied?"

I replied, "It's alright. The work is quite easy."
She gazed at me and said, "I heard from my younger brother that the factory owner is a woman, and she treats you quite well. The relationship between you two is rather intimate..."

I said, "Well, I live and eat at the factory now."
Jin Yulian hesitated and said, "That doesn't sound very good! If word gets out, it will ruin your reputation!"

Although she didn't spell it out, her meaning was clear—she had heard about the ambiguous relationship between me and Sister Yang.

I gave a bitter smile and said, "I've already been locked up before; my reputation wasn't worth much to begin with!"

Jin Yulian said, "Ah Feng, don't give up on yourself. You went to prison because of me. By the way, that Han Lingxue seems to know that you were wronged."

I thought to myself that Lingxue was the one who orchestrated that trap, and there was no need to tell Jin Yulian about it, so I just smiled and said, "I'm not too clear about that."

Jin Yulian's beautiful eyes sized up my gaze as she asked, "Ah Feng, can you tell me about your relationship with Lingxue?"

Curious, I asked, "Sister Yulian, why do you ask?"
She replied, "During the Lantern Festival fireworks show, fireworks appeared in the sky spelling out, 'Feng, I love you.' Was that 'Feng' you?"

I smiled and said, "Sister Yulian, how could that 'Feng' possibly be me?"

Jin Yulian said, "I heard a rumor that the daughter of the Han family has fallen in love with a former rapist, and actually set off fireworks during the Lantern Festival to propose to him."

Hearing this, I was quite startled and asked, "Sister Yulian, where did you hear such a rumor?"

Jin Yulian said, "Ah Feng, do you remember? When you went to Shanghai and met my brother at a high-end banquet, you ended up in a conflict with him."

I nodded, "Of course I remember. Your brother wanted to make things difficult for me at that banquet, and I had no choice but to fight back..."

Jin Yulian said, "I don't mean it that way, and I'm not blaming you! What I mean is that the banquet was originally hosted by a certain Young Master Chu to welcome Lingxue back, and he was trying to pursue her."

As soon as Jin Yulian brought this up, I suddenly remembered that the main purpose of Young Master Chu's banquet was indeed to pursue Lingxue, and Jin Baoqiang seemed to be one of Young Master Chu's underlings.

Jin Yulian continued, "Originally, the parents of Young Master Chu and Lingxue's parents had already agreed upon the marriage. Later, Lingxue set off those fireworks on the Lantern Festival to confess her love to you. This caused a huge uproar, and naturally, the news reached Young Master Chu and his parents, so the marriage between the Chu and Han families was called off."

I smiled and asked, "What does the cancellation of their marriage have to do with me?"

Jin Yulian said, "Of course it has to do with you! By doing that at the Lantern Festival, Lingxue was practically declaring to everyone that you are the person she is pursuing, so others wouldn't dare to make a move against you openly."

I had originally thought Lingxue did it for publicity, but I never expected she did it to protect me! It showed how much deep thought and care she had put into it.

Jin Yulian sighed and said, "After Lingxue sent out those fireworks to confess her love, someone tried to ruin her reputation by intentionally spreading rumors that she had already been defiled by you; even more absurd rumors claimed she was already pregnant with your child, and that since the rice was already cooked, she had no choice but to publicly propose to you!"

I said, "Sister Yulian, you should know that nothing actually happened between Lingxue and me!"

Jin Yulian looked at me with tender affection in her eyes and said, "I never expected Lingxue to like you this much, yet you are completely oblivious and still living in such an ambiguous entanglement with that female boss. If Lingxue finds out, how heartbroken she will be."

I couldn't help blushing and instinctively lied, "Actually, there's nothing going on between us either."

Jin Yulian said, "Whether there's anything between you two doesn't really have anything to do with me! I just want to tell you that after Young Master Chu failed to win Lingxue over, he started pursuing me."

Astonished, I asked, "Sister Yulian, you mean Young Master Chu wants to pursue you now?"

Jin Yulian's pretty face blushed slightly as she said, "Yes. You also know that my brother owes hundreds of thousands in usurious debts. After our conflict with Qian Duobao last time, my brother thought of Young Master Chu and went to beg him for help."

I thought to myself that since Jin Baoqiang was originally Young Master Chu's lackey, it was only natural for him to turn to Young Master Chu for help. After all, under the current circumstances, it was impossible for Jin Yulian and her brother to reconcile with Qian Duobao.

Seeing me deep in thought, Jin Yulian said, "Ah Feng, when you fought with Qian Duobao last time and broke his nasal bone, you should have been criminally detained. The reason your detention was downgraded from criminal to administrative was because Han Lingxue pulled strings behind the scenes. Otherwise, how could the Qian family have let the matter drop?"

A sudden realization dawned on me, and I nodded, "Ah, I was also wondering how Qian Duobao could have let me off after suffering such a loss. It turns out it was because of the Han family's influence."

Jin Yulian said, "Ah Feng, with the Han family secretly backing you up, Qian Duobao doesn't dare to do anything to you. But my brother owes hundreds of thousands in high-interest loans, and Qian Duobao will definitely not let us off."

During these past few days, Jin Yulian hadn't called me, and I had neglected to care about her troubles, so I asked, "Has Qian Duobao come to cause trouble for you again?"

Jin Yulian said, "My brother was desperate, so he introduced me to Young Master Chu. Young Master Chu promised that as long as I marry him, he will help me settle the matter with Qian Duobao."

Hearing this, my heart felt heavy. Jin Yulian had been utterly dragged down by her brother; every single mess Jin Baoqiang created ultimately fell on Jin Yulian to clean up.

I asked, "Sister Yulian, does that mean you've already agreed to Young Master Chu?"

Jin Yulian gave a bitter smile and said, "Do I have any other choice?"